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Second first time

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David813882
(@david813882)
Posts: 15
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I've called this post Second First a Time because I did visit Brighton Beach shortly after it opened at the suggestion of my then girlfriend, but that was a very long time ago.

My second first time was last Friday when I visited my first ever naturist club. It wasn't that I had a great desire to take up naturism, but a couple who are great friends and who I have photographed on innumerable occasions (I am an amateur photographer of many years standing) invited me to join them for a day at this club. Being quite conservative (small c) and certainly being nothing to look at myself I wasn't at all sure about accepting their invitation, but I reasoned that as I had seen and photographed both of them naked so often, it would be churlish of me to refuse. However, I was concerned about the prospect of being in an environment full of naked strangers, come to that I was even more concerned about being naked in front of my friends so I decided to see if I could visit the club on my own in advance of the invitation and this I did last Friday.

I arrived at about midday, parked in the club car park, which is very much within the club's grounds, got out, noting a large number of cars already there and went in search of reception. Once there I was greeted by a very friendly and fully dressed receptionist who remembered taking my call the previous day (which made things easier because I didn't have to explain everything again). She completed the formalities and gave me a parking permit for my car and told me to go and place it in the car, then to come back and she would arrange a tour of the club and its facilities. This I did and was shown around by another very friendly staff member and that was that. I was left in the middle of a field of naked sunbathers still very much fully clothed.

I walked back to my car feeling somewhat the odd one out and stood for a while there in the car park wondering what I thought I was doing. It was then that I remembered the good part of my Brighton experience, the feeling of the sun and wind on my skin and despite being now decidedly middle aged and far from the body beautiful I decided to go for it, took off my clothes and put them in the car. I was now naked in the car park and it took a few more moments to pluck up the courage to walk back to the club house with nothing but my towel and a pair of sandals.

Of course, everyone reading this will realise how silly my concerns were. No one took any notice of me and I decided that a cup of tea would be in order. I took my tea in th chill out zone, seating myself almost as far from the few others there as possible. I was left in peace to drink my tea and to get my heart rate back to normal. Later I walked around the site and took in a delightful walk through some woods without feeling anything more than the exhilaration of the sun and breeze. Later still I bought a second cup of tea and returned to the chill out area choosing this time to sit closer to a group of people who were chatting together.

When an opportunity presented itself, I joined the conversation and as time passed people went away and others joined until I was sitting chatting to two couples who were both fully dressed. There was no way I could have imagined doing that at the beginning of the day, yet I felt no embarrassment, just complete relaxation. Later still I was left chatting to just one lady while her husband went to change and still there was no problem for either of us, he returned and she left and as my time was now pressing, I too had to go but I bumped into the lady who was now just as naked as me. We said good bye all around and that we hope to meet again on another day.

I can't wait for my next opportunity to visit this club and it's incredibly friendly people, in fact, weather and business permitting I'll be there on Thursday this week and when I visit with my friends, I know I'll be just as comfortable with them as I was on my own. This is a great lifestyle and one i hope to keep up for years to come.

 
Posted : July 13, 2015 8:38 am
big al
(@master30)
Posts: 50
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Just surprised that your friends did not invite you earlier to join them.

 
Posted : July 13, 2015 2:01 pm
David813882
(@david813882)
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Topic starter
 

I wish they had (knowing what I now know)!

 
Posted : July 13, 2015 2:03 pm
(@smash)
Posts: 137
Estimable Member
 

I go to Naturist Foundation, and there's often people there dressed and never any embarrassment from either parties... just the way it should be.

 
Posted : July 13, 2015 5:00 pm
jfo
 jfo
(@jfo)
Posts: 45
Eminent Member
 

It would appear that your preemptive visit was a wise move on your part.  😀
Well done.
And all the best for your future journey into naturism

Too old to have regrets, but still young enough to make mistakes

 
Posted : July 13, 2015 5:09 pm
LawrieG
(@lawrieg)
Posts: 9
Active Member
 

But why would anyone go to a nudist club and keep their clothes on? Even on a respect level if you go to a nudist setting and keep clothes on surely others would think your reason for being there isn't honest

 
Posted : July 13, 2015 11:57 pm
Brigitte
(@elise)
Posts: 1137
Noble Member
 

I'm afraid I am also irritated slightly by the tolerance of many clubs in allowing reluctant people to stay dressed, because if I went to a textile setting and stripped there would be usually hell to pay, so their tolerance doesn't extend to me. I don't want to pay good money to be with dressed people if the weather allows otherwise. I can walk out of my front door and do the same for nothing.

'I figure life's a gift and I don't intend wasting it. You never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next.' Titanic.'Shine as a glow worm if you cannot as a star.' Thomas Andrews, shipbuilder.
'We'll miss the matinee but we'll make the night show.' The Greatest Show on Earth 1952.

 
Posted : July 14, 2015 8:18 am
David813882
(@david813882)
Posts: 15
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Topic starter
 

I agree with Brigitte but it seems to be the way but as long as the .majority are naked and the others are the exception I don't have too much of a problem. However, I'm  very new to the naturist life and don't want to be critical of anyone I meet.

 
Posted : July 14, 2015 9:03 am
col
 col
(@londonlad)
Posts: 186
Estimable Member
 

Which Is why as an apprehensive beginner, I chose to go to a naked swim rather than a landed club, I would have found it ridiculous to take and put trunks on. Once I found both ladies and men using the same room to undress, and was chatted to quite normally by two of the ladies, I arrived poolside quite at ease. As Brigitte says no point in travelling, paying an entry fee/day sub and staying dressed. I would suggest a friendly greeting by a club member talking in a natural way, with an offer to show them around the facilities ending with the dressing room (if the club has one) or a quiet area if not, with a polite I'll leave you to discuss/decide whether you feel this is right for you, would result in less clothed folk wandering around. But what would I know, apart from the two Swim clubs I joined, other swims I've attended, Visits to AHG two BN National Conventions and local area AGM dates at local clubs I have only had a very warm Reception at a club on a trial visit, when I had to withdraw my application due to ill health preventing my meeting the Committee. Now I just go to open days clothes optional events, and strip off as soon as I can.

 
Posted : July 14, 2015 9:55 am
(@smash)
Posts: 137
Estimable Member
 

The only people I see dressed are the occasional visitors/family of people at the club, I presume the ones who stay there long term. I've only been going regularly for about a month, they do have people doing trial visits on the weekends. Most strip off quickly, but I did see one mother/daughter start off by going topless, then after going for a swim (where you must be nude) staying nude for the remainder of the day. So some new people can take their time, and there's no pressure from anyone. Kind of nice to see them progress and enjoy the day.

 
Posted : July 14, 2015 11:59 am
David813882
(@david813882)
Posts: 15
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Topic starter
 

I had a coupe of hours free today so I popped into the club I'd visited last Friday. It wasn't fantastic weather,  but I was a little surprised to see only two or three cars in the car park and it wasn't that cold so I went and checked in and got comfortable. I was the only person there naked, the staff were dressed as usual, but the three of four other people were either dressed or wrapped up in towels despite the fact that they were inside. Fortunately I now have enough confidence to carry on regardless so after a cup of tea I took a delightful walk  through the woods completely alone and at one with nature. It's not what I expected given the large numbers of people who had been there on Friday, but frankly, I wouldn't have changed a thing today! There are always compensations if you look for them 😃

 
Posted : July 14, 2015 5:15 pm